Getting information out of Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on opposition forces is escalating. Six straight days of heavy bombardment has left hundreds dead in Homs.

As rocket and mortar fire rained down on neighborhoods in the country’s second-largest city, Russia and China vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for Assad to cede power. The UN estimates that more than 5,400 people have been killed in Syria since the protests against Assad began eleven months ago.

But getting an accurate account of what’s happening on the ground is nearly impossible because the Syrian government has cracked down on local journalists, and denied access to most foreign reporters. International observers have left the country, fearing for their lives.

The International Press Institute has been urging the Syrian government to end the media blockade. And Human Rights Watch has been tracking attacks on civilians by using a network of sources. Host David Reed spoke to Human Rights Watch's Ole Solvang and the International Press Institute's Anthony Mills, about the recent developments in Syria